


Thereafter

by Little_Inkstone



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-23
Updated: 2015-12-23
Packaged: 2018-05-08 13:12:18
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,873
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5498282
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Little_Inkstone/pseuds/Little_Inkstone
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After the world as Corwin Gold knows it is destroyed he must go on a journey to find his son.  However, the brave and beautiful Belle French he meets along the way may change his life more then any apocalypse ever could.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Thereafter

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Annythecat](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Annythecat/gifts).



> Written for the Rumbelle Secret Santa exchange, the prompt was Nuclear Post-Apocalypse (Preferably Fallout).

The morning light was bright as it streamed in through the bathroom window, illuminating Corwin Gold as he carefully shaved the night’s stubble from his face.  Once he was done he eyed his reflection, running his hands through his hair with a small frown.  Picking up the scissors he kept by the sink, he carefully clipped the tips of his longer than average locks.  Satisfied with the impromptu trim he straightened his tie and went to join his son for breakfast.

Ruffling Baelfire's shaggy mop of hair; he sat down at his spot.  Fondly, he watched his son devour a bowl of the overly sweet Sugar Bombs; as their spherical robotic servant, Cogsworth, served him his own breakfast.  With a word of thanks, Gold began to cut into his stack of hotcakes; savouring the fluffy, syrup covered disks.

“So,” He began, after swallowing his first bite of food.  “What would you like to do today, Bae?”  At the age of ten Baelfire still didn’t mind spending time in public with his father, and Gold wanted to enjoy it for as long as possible.

Bae looked up at his father; an excited light shining in his eyes.  “I hear that the fair is still in Concord, can we go, Papa?”

Taking a moment to pretend to contemplate the idea, he hummed softly, scratching his chin.  “Oh, I don’t see why not.”  Gold finally replied with a sly grin.

“Alright!”  Bae whooped, throwing his arms up in excitement.  Quickly slurping down the rest of his cereal, he ran his bowl over to the kitchen sink before darting into his bedroom to change out of his pyjamas.

With an affectionate chuckle Gold returned to his breakfast.  After he finished he opened the local paper that had been waiting for him and began sipping his coffee.  His good mood evaporated as he noted the front page and it’s declaration that tensions were continuing to grow between countries.  It was those kinds of headlines that had convinced him to leave Glasgow a little over seven years before Bae had been born.  He’d been right to flee then.  Now he was wondering if it might have been better to move his little family of two somewhere new; instead of investing in the local fallout Vault in case of a nuclear war.

Since moving to Sanctuary Hills Gold had made himself quite the fortune.  Buying up land, working as a lawyer and running a small business on the side had made it easy for him to both invest, and secure two spots for him and his boy, in Vault 111.

“Cogsworth.”  He called, turning to his mechanical butler.

“Yes, sir?”  Cogsworth dutifully replied, hovering to his side.

“Will you switch on the television to the news please?”  He requested, folding his paper, his brow knit together with worry.

“Of course, sir.”

With a click the television was on, playing in the background.  Cheerily, the newscaster spoke of the big game everyone had been talking about, imparting the score with gusto, and calming Gold’s nerves in the process.  Everything was fine; it was just another sleepy day in the All-American town he now called home.  He felt the tension in his shoulders lesson as he continued to listen to the asinine babble.

Pushing his anxiety to the back of his mind he sat down to finish the paper with the T.V. on for background noise.  It was too early to drive to Concord just yet.   But when they go there they’d make a day of it, having lunch at the fair and maybe even supper too; Bae would love that.

Not very much later, after jotting down the last answer in the daily crossword puzzle with a triumphant flick of his wrist, Gold made his way into the kitchen for a glass of water; only to catch Bae nicking a Nuka Cola from the fridge.

“Baelfire Neal Gold, what have I said about soda in the morning?”  He scolded, just as the seal of the bottle was broken with a loud hiss.

Dourly his son looked away.  “But this is my five hundredth cap, Papa!”  He defended.

Gold rubbed his thumb and forefinger together, indecision weighing on him.  His son’s bottle cap collection; if it could be call that, considering it was made up primarily of common soda toppers, was his pride and joy.  Gold was of the opinion that it was just an excuse for Bae to indulge his sweet tooth any chance he got, but he couldn’t doubt his son’s devotion to the project.  However, this was not the first time his son had used a milestone as an excuse to treat himself to a fizzy drink.

Sighing, he pinched the bridge of his nose. “Alright, alright, but _only_ because it’s a Saturday.”  Gold knew he was spoiling his son, but what was a father to do?

Darting forward his son gave him a quick hug.  “You’re the best, Papa!”

“You won’t think so when the dentist is drilling away at a cavity.”  Gold muttered to himself, turning away to grab a glass form the cupboard.

Getting himself his drink of water, he leaned against the kitchen counter, listening to the birds chirp and the whirring of Cogsworth’s engine as he puttered about the house.  They were soothing sounds, familiar the way only home can be, and for a moment he felt at peace.

“Sir!”  Cogsworth called, somehow managing to sound worried despite being a robot.  “Sir, I think you should come see this!”

Wondering what could be the matter, Gold walking back into the living room; only to have the bottom of his stomach drop out.  Gone was the cheer of the reporter; replaced instead with grave news that Gold and the rest of the country had been dreading for years; the world was unraveling itself before his eyes.  Bombs, nuclear bombs, were being dropped on all major cities, New York had already gone radio silent, and there was no telling when or if Boston would follow.

“Baelfire!”  He yelled at the top of his lungs, backing away from the television as panic threatened to over whelm him.  Time seemed to slow as, in a haze, he bolted from room to room, grabbing the two duffle bags he’d had packed for just this instance; one for Bae and one for him.

Tightly gripping his son’s hand, he hardly noticed that Bae was stuffing something into his duffle bag; it didn’t matter.  Nothing mattered, except keeping his son safe.  As they ran all he could hear was the wailing of sirens and his own gasping breath as they fled form the only home Baelfire had ever known.  The short jog to the Vault felt like it took an eternity, but finally they made it, his chest burning from the exertion.

Nothing felt real, it was like it was all happening to someone else and he was simply watching it from a great distance away.  And yet at the same time it was all too real, closing in on him and threatening to crush him.

He snarled something at the military man standing between him and his son’s safety; what it was he had no idea, probably their names, but whatever it was it did the trick.  Gold continued to feel the odd mixture of numbness and hypersensitivity as they sprinted the last excruciating few feet to the Vault.

Standing atop the platform that would lower them to safety, he turned to his son, enveloping him in a crushing hug.  With a creak of metal they began to descend.

It wasn’t fast enough.

To Gold’s horror he watched as a huge explosion of unparalleled destructive force detonated, bathing the pair in heat and light.  Convinced that these were his last moments with his son, Gold clutched his boy even tighter; tears leaking from his eyes, as he mumbled over and over again how much he loved him.  Despair surged through him as he realized he’d failed his boy.

In his distress he was blinded to the fact that they had continued to descend into the Vault.  It wasn’t until a reassuring hand patted him on the back that he looked up.

“You’re safe.”  A bespectacled man in a lab coat smiled sunnily.  “And now,”  He prompted.  “We need to get you both settled into your new lives here in the Vault!”

Relief made Gold weak as he fought off the urge to faint, as he gestured for the man to lead the way.  He and Baelfire followed him as he introduced himself as the Vault’s head doctor.  They wandered deeper into their new home; listening as the man prattled on about the facility and how it was the most state of the art compared to other Vaults.

Gold couldn’t understand how the doctor could be so cheerful after what had just occurred on the surface, but he supposed it was better this way.  Everyone dealt with stress differently, and the doctor’s composed demeanour was keeping Bae calm as well.

The doctor left them in a small private room, and as instructed they changed into the mandatory Vault attire; the blue and yellow jumpsuits fitting both of them perfectly, the number one hundred and eleven emblazed on the back.  Gold wasn’t a fan of the skin tight design, leaving nothing to the imagination, but he smiled when Bae looked over at him, and tried to be discreet as he pulled at the uniform.

“Just one more thing,”  A different doctor informed them after they’d changed, popping his head into the room to check on them.  “You need to be decontaminated and depressurized before we can go further underground.”  Helpfully he pointed them in the direction of large pods, hatches open and standing at the ready, waiting to be used.

After stuffing the two duffle bags into a space beside the pod he was about to enter, Gold turned to his son, clasping his shoulder.  “We made it Bae.”  He whispered, trying not to cry.

“Yeah, don’t worry, Papa.”  Bae said, smiling valiantly.  “We’ll be okay now.”

Swallowing thickly Gold nodded; his boy was so brave compared to him.  Turning, he entered his pod, watching as Baelfire did the same across from him.

Gold blinked, a terrible shiver running down his spine, every muscle in his body felt stiff and achy.  He blinked rapidly, his sight clouded and foggy; as his vision cleared he could see his son’s pod opening, two strangers standing in front of it; a man in army fatigues, and a woman in a lab coat.  He watched them help Bae out, confused as to what was happening.  Roughly, the battle-dressed man grabbed Baelfire’s arm, beginning to haul him away.

“Hey!”  Gold croaked; his voice hoarse.  “Hey, where are you taking him?!”  He tried shouting, banging against the solid door of the metal cocoon he was trapped in, his heart racing as he watched his son being taken away.  Continuing to bang against the pod door proved futile, but Gold kept it up anyway.  The other stranger, the one not taking Bae away, pursed her lips in displeasure as she stood before him.  Reaching forward she pressed a button.

He was so very cold when the door finally opened, and to his alarm he was also alone.  On his knees he looked around, trying to take deep breaths as panic threatened to overwhelm him.  Centering himself as best he could to stave off am anxiety attack, he took stock of his surroundings.  He’d be no use to Bae if he broke down, as he wished to do.  Counting backwards twice in a row before his pulse stopped racing, he tried to focus on one thing at a time.

Clearly something had happened; the Vault was dusty and great swaths of cobwebs hung from the corners of the room.  How long had he been in that blasted pod?  What had happened to him and everyone else in this Vault?  And most importantly, where was his son?  Getting to his feet he found the two duffle bags he’d stashed away beside the pod, untouched and incredibly dusty.

Unzipping his bag, he choked back a sob.  A smaller sack with all of Bae’s bottle caps was resting on top of his supplies.  Violently wiping away his tears he pushed the sack aside, digging further into his pack.  He need to say focused, he reminded himself, Bae _needed_ him.  He’d be able to give his son back his bottle collection soon.  Pulling his Walther PPK from its resting place at the bottom of his luggage, he slung the two duffle bags over his shoulders.

Checking that the ammo of his small firearm was still intact he disengaged the safety and made his way down the hallway.  Any hope of catching up with the people that had stolen his son quickly vanished as he walked along the dilapidated corridor.  It was clear no one had walked this way in a very long time, months, possibly _years_ had passed.

Gold didn’t linger, hoping to be above ground as soon as possible.  He stopped only once to read a few scattered notes he came across in his bid for freedom.  The words typed on the page filled him with a dawning horror, only to be replaced with rage.  The documents made it clear that Vault 111 was not the paradise it had been promised to be.  Instead it was a place to study the effects of cryogenically freezing humans for long stretches of time.

“ _Bastards_.”  He snarled, tearing the papers in half.  That at least explained the chill and why it had seemed like everything had changed in the blink of an eye.  Agonizing worry for his son and fear of the unknown swirled within him, but at his centre there was a new emotion, one he was quite familiar with: unbridled furry.  He focused all of his being on that, he couldn’t be afraid if he was furious, the anger would help him find Bae, and it would help him destroy whoever had done this to them.

When he made it to the Vault entrance he was faced with a new problem; the door wouldn’t budge without a Pip-Boy.

Gold had seen the electronic device before; it was a miracle of modern technology, a computer that fit on the wrist.  He’d even considered ordering one to help him run his business better, before… before all of this.  Shaking off thoughts of the past, he began to look; finding one in a room not too far from the Vault door.  Silently he thanked whatever god had taken mercy on him and headed back to the exit.

Plugging the electronic cuff into the control panel had the desired effect, and finally, _finally_ he was out of the hell hole he’d once thought would be a sanctuary.

The sun stung his eyes causing him to squint and blink rapidly until he could see again.  A gentle breeze played with his hair as he took in his first lungful of fresh air in god only knew how long.  Feeling less antsy outside of the Vault, but no less of the situation’s urgency, Gold slipped the duffle bags off, reordering his supplies.  Instead of slipping the bulky contraption that was the Pip-Boy, modern marvel or no, onto his wrist as it was intended to be worn he stuffed it into his bag.  It reminded him too much of a future that would never come to pass and the sight of it sent a pang of melancholy through his heart.

Cautiously Gold made his way down the path that led to his home, taking in the sights of the world as it was.  Everything looked the same, and yet, totally different.  Where once there had been lush greenery there was only bare branches and scorched earth; a few things were still growing, but for the most part the land was barren.  Amongst all of the anger and confusion threatening to pull him apart at the seams, he also felt a gnawing homesickness.  Life would never again be the way it was before.  There was no telling how long he’d been frozen; and as he’d stayed the same, the world had changed.

“As I live and breathe!”  Someone exclaimed, taking him by surprise, he turned quickly, training his gun on the ambusher, his heart threatening to beat out of his chest.  “Corwin Gold, Master Corwin Gold!  It’s really you!”  Gold relaxed, recognizing a friendly face, as it were.

“Cogsworth.”  He breathed in relief, lowering his weapon, holstering it.  “It’s good to see you.”

“You are truly a sight for these sore eyes, Master Gold.”  Cogsworth replied.  “Is there anything I can do for you, sir?  You have been gone for over two hundred years, I’m sure that’s plenty of time to have worked up an appetite!”

“Two… Did you say two hundred years?”  Gold wheezed.

“Yes, sir, or more accurately two hundred and ten give or take a week.”

Gold’s mind began to race.  When had Bae been taken? Forty, sixty, two hundred years ago?  When he found his son, would he be an old man, or nothing but a long settled grave?  No, he couldn’t think like that!  Bae was out there, waiting for him.  And if he wasn’t… if he wasn’t he might have grandchildren.  He owed it to Bae to spend the rest of his life searching for him, or his descendants.

“Listen to me, Cogsworth, Bae was taken from the Vault, did you see him?”  He asked hastily.

“Master Baelfire?  Yes, I saw him, nasty people he was with; they shot at me!”  The robot complained, twisting slightly to show a few terrible dents in his spherical body.

“You saw him and you didn’t save him?!”  Gold snapped, grabbing the machine angrily.

“I’m sorry, Master Gold!”  Cogsworth wailed.  “I tried, but they shut me off before I could stop them!  I had only just rebooted when I saw them fly away in some kind of helicopter!”

Pushing him away, Gold took a deep breath, running a hand through his hair.  “I understand, Cogsworth.”  A pang of guilt pierced his heat.  In all honesty he wasn’t truly mad at the robot, he was mad at the world and at himself; it wasn’t fair to blame a machine that had clearly tried, where he had done nothing.  “Which way did they go?”

“That way, sir.”  Cogsworth instructed, pointing in a roughly Northern direction.  “That was the course they were headed for as far as I could see.”

“And how long ago was that?”  Gold questioned, wondering for how long he’d be walking; whatever the distance, it’d be worth it.  A whirring sound from within Cogsworth caught his attention as the mechanical butler remained silent.

“I-I’m sorry sir, but the time stamp for that event has been corrupted, I don’t know how long ago that was.”  He said cautiously, his three metal eyes turning to Gold, waiting for his reaction.

Clenching and unclenching his fists, Gold nodded silently, looking down at the ground.  “You stay here in case Bae comes back.”  He gritted out, trying to contain his anger.  “I’m going to go find him.”  There was nothing more to say after that, Gold drawing his gun once more and beginning his journey.

Silently Cogsworth watched as Corwin Gold begin to walk away into the great unknown.

For a little under a week Gold tirelessly marched, quickly learning what was safe to eat and drink, and what was not.  He barely stopped to rest, pushed on by not only his need to find his son, but also his fear of what would quickly turn him into a meal if he stopped.  Not only had the flora of the world changed in the spanning years but so had the fauna.  Giant roaches, hairless rodents and wild dogs wondered the wasteland.  If it hadn’t been supersized by radiation it had grown feral with sharper teeth.  Or worst of all, both.

Suffering from no small amount of aching feet and sleep deprivation he continued to wander along, the hot sun beating down on him.  He couldn’t be sure where he was, but he thought that he’d at least crossed out of Massachusetts, through New Hampshire and into Maine by this point.  Following the coast had allowed him to stay on track, and luckily the stars in the sky hadn’t changed too much in the last two hundred years.

Stopping to take a drink of water he hadn’t even grabbed his canteen when he heard it: a scream followed by a bone rattling roar.

He’d been mostly avoiding contact with other people, the only ones he’d come across so far being thieves more than willing to end his life for the meagre possession he had on him, but he couldn’t allow whoever was screaming to go unaided.  Running as best he could, in his exhausted state, up the hill, he readied his gun.  As a shop owner and landlord it had been in his best interest to know how to defend himself from disgruntled renters and potential burgles, and he was thankful he knew how to use his weapon.

At the crest of the small knoll he could clearly see what was happening.  A monstrous bear-like creature with patches of unruly fur was menacing a young woman as she swung what looked to be some kind of double edged sword.  The beast was unaffected by her attempts at defense, easily swatting the blade away.

Too tired to think of a proper plan he ran down the hill, yelling at the top of his lungs and firing two warning shots into the air, spooking the beast long enough to stop and take aim.  The creature charged, a deafening roar shaking him to his core.  As the brute barrelled towards him time seemed to slow as he realized, almost dispassionately, that this was his end.  He’d failed his son; but hopefully the young woman would be able to flee fast enough to have made his sacrifice worth it.

“Philippe, no!”  He heard the woman scream just as the monster reached him; one massive paw stretching out, batting him aside like he weighed nothing at all.

After that there was nothing.

Everything hurt; was Gold’s first thought as he regained consciousness.  At least he wasn’t dead he rationalized; the dead felt no pain, as far as he knew.  As his eyes slowly fluttered open the first sight that greeted him was a pair of strikingly blue eyes, staring at him worriedly.  They were beautiful, and so was the person they belonged to.

“Who–”  Gold tried, only to be gently hushed.

“It’s alright now.”  The blue eyed woman whispered.  “I’m so glad you’re awake.”  She added with a radiant smile, soothingly brushing a strand of his hair away from his face.

He’d been wrong he decided; he was definitely dead.  He had died and now an angel was comforting him, it was the only explanation, beautiful women didn’t smile at him the way she was.  With a deep sigh he closed his eyes sinking down into the bed he was comfortably resting on, letting the darkness of sleep claim him once more.

When he woke again he was much more aware of his surroundings.  He was lying in a bed he didn’t recognize, in a room he’d never seen before.  It was night, the one window off to the side showing a bright full moon illuminating the room.  Beside him in the moderately sized bed was a figure, above the covers he was tucked under, sleeping soundly.  There was enough space between them to preserve his modesty and the girl’s as well, saving him from a moment of awkwardness about waking in bed with a stranger.

Taking a moment he observed his rescuer, the woman he had thought was an angel; asleep she looked younger then he’d first thought, not even near thirty yet.

Her skin was flawless and smooth, her lips plump and pink, and dark chestnut curls framed her face.  Her outfit was very different from the one she’d been wearing earlier.  That had been a red tunic over leather pants, but now she was in sky blue cotton skirt with a delicate white chemise underneath a bodice that same colour of her skirt; it didn’t look very comfortable to be sleeping in.  Looking away he silently berated himself for ogling his saviour, instead he turned back to look at the room.  It was simple but on the larger side, a bed, desk with a chair and a changing screen; he couldn’t help but notice the abundance of book shelves as well, all stuffed with countless tomes and novels.

“You’re awake again.”  A soft voice said, surprising him.

Looking back at his bed mate he saw that her eyes were open, seeming to glow in the moonlight.

“Yes.”  He replied dumbly.

She propped herself up on her elbow, staring down at him.  “I’m sorry Philippe attacked you, he’s very protective of me.”

“Philippe?”  Gold questioned in confusion.

“My yao guai.  It was very brave of you to come to my rescue the way you did, but I can assure you, Philippe and I were practicing, nothing more.”  She informed him.

“You mean that bear monster is your pet?!”  He exclaimed.

“Hush!  Someone will hear you.”  She admonished.  “And Philippe is _not_ a monster; but yes, I guess he’s my pet… really I prefer to think of him as friend.”  She replied, a moue marring her features, yet somehow managing to make her look more adorable than anything else.

“I’m sorry.”  Gold apologized, wishing to banish the girl’s pique.  “Where are we?”  He hesitantly he asked her, licking his lips.

“Avonlea.”  She replied simply.  Sighing she looked at him contemplatively.  “I guess I shouldn’t be shocked you don’t seem to know much about the world; you’re from a Vault, aren’t you?”  She said, gesturing to his blue and yellow suit.

“Yes,”  He nodded.  “But how do you…?”

“Vault dwellers are rare nowadays, but everyone knows about them.  You’ll have to change into something different soon if you don’t want to be targeted by raiders.  Everyone always thinks Vault dwellers are carrying something special with them.”  She replied.

“I see.”  He murmured, frowning.

An affable silence stretched between them as his mind buzzed with thoughts.  He closed his eyes, trying to quiet his mind and go back to sleep.  Assuming his companion had already returned to the land of dreams.

“What’s your name?”  She asked suddenly, catching him off guard, making him jump, a sharp pain lancing through his side.

“Corwin, Corwin Gold.”  Gold replied, the discomfort passing quickly.

She soundlessly mouthed his name, before smiling brightly at him.  “It’s nice to meet you, Corwin Gold, I’m Belle French.”

For the first time since this waking nightmare had begun, Gold felt himself begin to smile.  “It’s nice to meet you too, Belle French.”

Over the next few days he got to know Belle as he healed from his injuries, Philippe having bruised Gold’s ribs on his right side.  He was antsy to start looking for Bae again, but he had no choice but to rest, he could barely get out of Belle’s bed without holding back tears, and he’d more than likely end up dead if he returned to the wastes in his condition.  There was nothing for it but to wait.  While he mended he had Belle for company, no one thinking it strange at all that she spent most of her time in her room.

Gold could tell that she was a lonely soul, friendly, but out of step with everyone else in Avonlea.  Not that he’d met anyone else in the settlement.  Belle’s father was very protective of his daughter.  Belle having sheepishly admitted she wasn’t supposed to be outside of the city walls to begin with, let alone training Philippe anywhere other than the mayoral mansion’s courtyard; meaning that he being her room was also a secret.

“Papa would have a fit if he knew you were here.”  Belle had confessed.  Causing him to worry about what would happen if he was discovered in the bedroom of the mayor’s beloved daughter.  Morbidly he wondered if capital punishment was an accepted practice in Avonlea.

Most of the time Belle would read one of her many books as he kept himself busy or slept, the pain in his side sapping his energy.  But when they knew they were safe from being overheard they conversed.  Belle had a quick mind and was an invaluable source of information about the new world he found himself in, but she was also very curious, asking gentle but probing questions about his life and what he was doing in the wastes.  Mostly he attempted to dodge those questions, he’d always been a very private person, and wasn’t fond of sharing.

She did however manage to wheedle out of him that he was searching for his lost son, sympathy filling her eyes as she rested her hand atop his.  Clearing his throat he’d looked away, blinking away any tears that were attempting to fall.  After that Belle respectfully left his past alone; instead excitedly telling him about the book she was currently reading.  He happily listened to her describe the exciting tale of far off places, daring sword fights, and a prince in disguise; his mood lifting considerable as she animatedly recounted the fictional world.

It was late in the afternoon a few days later when Gold decided he had rested long enough.  It had been a necessary break in his search, but that didn’t stop him from feeling even more guilt over losing so many days when he could have been looking for his son.  Behind the screen for some privacy, despite the fact that Belle wasn’t even in the room, he changed into the new outfit she had been generous enough to provide.  Forming fitting leather pants, tall sturdy leather boots and a once brightly golden coloured cotton shirt under a tough, almost scaled jacket finished his ensemble.

When Belle had brought him the outfit he had been grateful, but confused by the abundance of leather, never mind the strange substance the jacket was made of.  Belle had explained the leather was from their Brahmin herd, two-headed cows kept for their meat and hides; the jacket on the other hand had been harder to explain.  She’d casually brushed it off as the hide of something called a Deathclaw; a creature that occasionally menaced Avonlea.  Gold was sceptical that something with such a terrible name was as little a problem as Belle tried to make it seem, but left it alone, respecting her privacy as she had respected his.

Straightening out the lapels of his new armour he froze; the sound of loud voices approaching the door.  He was suddenly very thankful that he had chosen to change behind the screen as the door opened.

“Thank you, Gaston, but no.”  Belle said politely as she opened the door to her room.

“Are you sure…”  The man, apparently Gaston, wheedled.

“Yes, I’m sure.”  She snapped, slamming the door in his face.

Gold peeked out from behind the privacy screen, watching her slump against the door and sigh, a frown marring her features as she closed her eyes in annoyance.  The light from the sunset made her hair blaze, giving the brunette curls a bronze shine highlighting her, currently hidden, bright blue eyes.  He shook the fanciful thought from his mind, unsure where it had come from.  Clearing his throat he stepped out from behind the divider.

“How do I look?”  He asked.  “Not too ridiculous I hope.”

Belle’s eyes fluttered open as she smiled at him pushing away from the door to walk over to him.  “I don’t know, I think you’ll have to turn around for me to know for sure.”  She teased.  Obediently he slowly turned for her.  Her eyes flicked up and down his form, her lower lip caught between her pearly white teeth.  “Very handsome.”  She declared.

He preened under her praise, glad that he had her approval, although unsure why he wanted it.  “It’s not too much leather?”

“Oh no, not at all.”  She muttered, but then she frowned slightly.  “But it won’t be too comfortable to sleep in; I’m not sleeping on the floor so you can be uncomfortable on the bed anyway.”  Belle admonished, offhandedly gesturing to her makeshift pile of blankets she’d been sleeping on after that first night.

Clearing his throat Gold looked away.  “Well…”  He began, unsure how to tell her he was leaving without seeming ungrateful.

“Corwin?”  She asked, stepping forward, trying to catch his eye.

“I need to find my boy.”  Gold whispered simply.

“I understand.”  Belle said, her hand coming out to touch his arm.  “We can leave after sunset.”

He nodded.  “Yes I– wait, _we_?”  He questioned, his gaze snapping to hers.

“Yes, _we_ , I’m not letting you leave without me.  I’ve always wanted to have an adventure, and what greater adventure is there then helping you find your son?”  She reasoned, smiling brightly at him.  “I may have never left Avonlea before, but I know more about the wastes then you do.  I can help you, I know it!”

She did have a point he realized, but Gold hated the thought of putting her in undue danger.  However, he would probably have a better chance of finding Bae if she was with him; selfishly he also didn’t want to say goodbye to her yet, but that wouldn’t change his decision.

“Belle,”  Gold started, shaking his head.

“I’ll follow you.”  Belle interrupted, resting her hands on her hips.  “You know I will.”  She added.  “No one decides my fate but me.”

A huff of laughter escaped him as he shook his head, this time in resignation.  “Aye, I’ve no doubt of that.”

“So I can come with you?”  She asked excitedly, her eyes shining.

“I suppose I have no choice, do I?”  He replied, a small smile tugging at his lips.  In the next moment his smile was gone, replaced by shock as Belle embraced him.

The hug was over almost as soon as it begun, Belle vibrating with energy.  “I have a few things to get ready and then we can leave as soon as the sun sets.”  She said.

Grabbing a few items of clothing from around the room before ducking behind the change screen, Belle quickly changed into the outfit she had been originally wearing when he had first seen her.  Then, just as quickly, she darted out of the room with barely a backwards glance.  He smiled fondly after her for a moment, before turning to the window in the room, willing the sun to sink beneath the horizon faster.

Duffle bags once more secured over his shoulders, Gold silently followed Belle out of her room.  After a good three weeks of being cooped up it felt fantastic to be on the move again.  Gold also relished once more being able to look for his son; as well as being able to properly stretch his legs.

The trip out of the mayoral mansion was uneventful, the halls quiet and dark.  They went unchallenged as they moved along Avonlae’s shadowed streets.  Still it was only when they reached a barn where a cart with two two-headed Brahmin hitched up that Gold felt comfortable breathing again.  Technically he was absconding with the mayor’s daughter, and he doubted the man would take kindly to it; even if Belle had left a note telling him where she had gone.

“Where are we going?”  He whispered as Belle took the reins and cajoled the Brahmins into moving.

“One of the traders in the market said he saw someone matching the description of your son in Diamond City.”  Belle replied.

“Diamond City?”  Gold echoed.

“It’s actually back where you came from.”  She admitted awkwardly.  “You seem to be too far North for your search.”

Gold looked down as the cart continued to plod along.  “I was mostly stumbling around, foolish really.”

“Hey,”  Belle murmured, reaching out to grasp his hand comfortingly.  “You were lost and no doubt terrified for your son.”  He smiled wanly, squeezing her hand back when she tightened her grasp reassuringly.

There weren’t a lot of topics that hadn’t been touched upon while they’d been cooped up in Belle’s room together, but the change of scenery seemed to reinvigorate their subjects of discussion.  It wasn’t until Belle shared a particularly bittersweet memory about her mother before her death that they lapsed back into silence.

“I never go anywhere without her favourite tape.”  She admitted.  “It was the only story we had that wasn’t in a book, but our last player stopped working years ago, and I haven’t been able to trade for another.”  The reins firmly in hand Belle starred sightlessly into the distance.

“Perhaps we should rest the Brahmin now.”  Gold suggested, feeling useless.

She nodded, subtly brushing tears from her cheeks.  “Yeah, I think you’re right.”

Under a tree they set up camp, starting a small fire and sharing a silent meal.  After they were done eating they tended to their individual weapons, needing them in perfect condition if they were to be of any use.  Gold was an old hand at cleaning his gun and it took him no time at all to take it apart, clean it out, put it back together and reload it.  Belle’s weapons were a little trickier.  Her sword, known as a jian, needed to be cleared of any rust, polished, and sharpened.  Then once that was done she moved on to her dart gun, a powerful sleeping agent making it delicate work.

While she set to work, Gold dug through his bags, reordering his supplies to give him something to do.  As he did so, he uncovered the long forgotten Pip-Boy.  As he fiddled with it one of the buttons triggered a slot springing open above the screen, revealing a cassette player.  He gaped at the thing, blinking rapidly as he realized what it meant for Belle that the Pip-Boy could play cassettes.

“Belle…”

While they listened to the simple story of a prince turned beast and the young woman whom saw past his gruff exterior, Belle rested her head on his shoulder, their hands linked as tears silently rolled down her cheeks.

“Thank you.”  She sniffed once the tape was done, handing the Pip-Boy back to him.

He pushed it back into her hands with a wobbly smile.  “Keep it.”  Gold urged.

“Really?”  Belle asked; her eyes bright from fresh tears.  He nodded encouragingly, surprised when she launched herself at him, hugging him again in the span of two days.  This time she held on long enough for him to return her embrace, holding her gently.  “Thank you.”  She whispered.

“Yes well,”  He cleared his throat awkwardly.  “I really have no use for it.”

If Belle heard him she gave no indication of it, strapping the personal computer like device to her arm with a happy smile.  The monstrous cuff engulfed her delicate wrist even after she had tightened it enough so that it wouldn’t slip.  Once that was done they packed up the rest of their gear, agreeing it was time they begin their journey again, only being a day away from Diamond City.

“What do you plan to do once you’ve found your son?”  Belle whispered later that night, the fire nothing but dying embers between them, the moon and stars illuminating her beautifully.

“I hadn’t thought that far.”  He admitted.  “Settle down somewhere I suppose with my boy, start a life in this strange world.”  That was, if his son was even still alive.  If this lead Belle had found was a dead end, and he ended up finding a grave instead of a living breathing boy, he might just curl up and die.

“Would you mind if I…”  She trailed off, biting her lower lip uncertainly.  “If I stopped by every once and awhile?”  She finished feebly.

“Oh, Belle, of course, you would _always_ be welcome.”  Gold said, smiling warmly.

She smiled back, her true request left unasked as they both slipped into dreamland.

The next morning while the birds sang and the light shone brightly they approached Diamond City.  The first thing that Gold noticed, as they rented a space for their cart and Brahmin, was that diamond was not the word he would use to describe the grimy metropolis.  Belle on the other hand seemed completely taken with the city, taking his hand a dragging him from one corner to the other.  This worked in his favour, allowing him to ask anyone they came across if they’d seen his son.  Most people were gruff and unfriendly, but a few people stopped to help.

“It sounds like you’re describing the Cassidy boy.”  One man had said.

“Yeah, that sounds a lot like him, but his name isn’t Bae, or Baelfire.”  His companion added.

“I see.”  Gold replied, gritting his teeth and balling his hands into fists.

Angry tears threatened to fall as he fell deeper and deeper into despair.  He hardly noticed as Belle thanked the unhelpful strangers and turned back to him, her eyes gentle and sympathetic.  He should have never come to this stupid place; it was filled with idiotic people who were completely useless!  He’d have been better off searching the wastes, or admitting that his boy, his precious Baelfire, was dead and gone.

“Corwin…”

“No!”  Gold snapped, brushing her off and turning away from her, walking swiftly in the opposite direction, he couldn’t hear her voice what he already knew.  They weren’t going to find Baelfire in Diamond City.

He ended up outside of the city somehow, sitting near the waterfront staring unseeingly as the waves lapped at the shore.  He knew nothing of this world he found himself in, everything was so strange.  If it hadn’t been for Belle he would have most likely died several times over already at this point; but what was there to live for if is son was gone?  Unbidden an image of Belle swam before his eyes, but he shook it away before resting his head in the palms of his hands.

The sun was still high in the sky, relentlessly beating down on him, when someone sat down beside him.

“Goodneighbor.”

“What?”  He asked his voice hoarse from crying, looking up he found Belle glaring at the water.

“The Cassidy’s, they moved to Goodneighbor a few months ago.”  She said in explanation.

“Bae isn’t with the Cassidy’s.”  Gold murmured miserably.

“He might be, he could be using a different name, you don’t know.  Corwin, are you really going to give up on your son so easily?”  Belle asked, finally turning to look at him, resolve shining in her eyes and feeding his own broken soul, filling him with hope.

“No.”  He replied, swallowing back tears and shaking his head.  “I won’t abandon my son.”

“Good.”  She said, nodding determinately before getting up and brushing sand from her leather trousers, starting to walk away.  “Aren’t you coming?”  Belle asked, turning slightly to look at him over her shoulder.  He nodded, broken from his stupor, and scrambled to his feet.  “We can walk to Goodneighbor from here before nightfall, so there’s no point in getting the cart.”  She explained as they strode along.

“It’s that close?”  Gold asked trailing after her.

“There’s a… dispute between the people of Diamond City and Goodneighbor.  When the founders of Goodneighbor moved out of Diamond City they didn’t go far.”  She explained.

As they walked Gold’s conscience began to weigh on him until he couldn’t take it anymore.  “Belle, I–I am sorry for how I acted earlier.”

She stopped in her tracks and turned to face him.  She frowned deeply, before letting out a sigh.  “I understand that you were upset,”  She began.  “But that’s no excuse for the way you treated me, and I expect it to never happen again.”  Belle stipulated firmly, he nodded his assent.  “I _understand_ being sad or angry or both, but don’t shut me out Corwin.”  She added more gently, her eyes softening.

“I won’t, Belle, I promise.”  He vowed.

“Good,”  She smiled.  “Then all is forgiven and it shouldn’t be a problem again.”

“Never again.”  Gold promised as they started their walk to the next town over.

Anxiety kept him silent during their trudge to Goodneighbor, his eyes trained on the asphalt.  His mind was buzzing with so many thoughts he could barely concentrate on any single one.  From the ever present worry for his son to the uncertainty of the future; but one particular thought continued to bother him: why had Belle bothered to continue helping?  She didn’t owe him anything, in fact, it was very much the other way around.  Gold just couldn’t wrap his mind around her altruism.

“Stop.”  Belle hissed suddenly, her hand shooting out to press against his chest stopping him mid step and quieting his thoughts.  “Do you hear that?”  She asked, her eyes darting around uncomfortably.

He scanned the desolate horizon, ears straining to pick up on what might have startled his companion.  “No.”  Gold replied softy, still trying to hear what she had.

Belle visibly relaxed at his response.  “It must have been my imagination.”  She shrugged, smiling at him over her shoulder.

Gold smiled back, readying a quip of some sort when the earth beneath them shifted violently, knocking them both off of their feet.  Mere steps ahead of them the concrete began to collapse, revealing an underground passage.  Staggering to his feet, Gold helped Belle stand, hesitantly approaching the hole.  She grabbed his hand, squeezing so hard his bones began to ache, and pulled him as hard as she could away from the opening.

“What–?”  He began before Belle shushed him quickly, terror shining in her eyes.

Reaching for his gun he saw Belle do the same, unhooking her dart-gun from her belt.  He didn’t understand why Belle was so tense, but he stayed deathly quiet.  It was all for naught as an enormous lizard-like creature emerged from the subterranean cavern.  It locked eyes with him, the milky depths chillingly aware.  Its body was covered in hardened scales, horns protruded from its head and sharp gleaming teeth were visible as its powerful jaws opened to let out a deafening roar.

Turning, Gold lunged at Belle pushing her to the ground and rolling her to safety as the monster’s massive paw swiped at them.  Its claws, sharp blade like things, barely missed them.  Snarling it chased after them, bearing its teeth menacingly.  On the ground, defending Belle with his body as the both desperately attempted to move backwards, he shot widely; the bullets bounced uselessly off the colossal lizard.

There was nowhere to go and nothing to hide behind, the gunshots had slowed it down enough for Gold and Belle to regain their footing, but they were trapped.  He wasn’t sure, but he doubted they could outrun the thing.  Besides, he didn’t think Belle was capable of running at the moment; she was trembling too violently behind him.  She wasn’t the only one.

It was playing with them, stalking them, the way a cat played with a mouse that it knew was already in its grasp.

“Corwin,”  Belle harshly whispered in his ear.  “Corwin, I want you to run as soon as I start firing my darts.”

“Belle, no!”  Gold hissed back.  “I’m not leaving you.”

“You have to find your son!”  She argued back.

The hulking brute attacked them before he could reply, its claws scraping along, but not penetrating, his coat and knocking him to the side.  The creature was on him in the blink of an eye, all snapping jaws and razor sharp claws.  Gold let out a strangled cry of fear, but all he could think about was Baelfire and Belle.

“Belle, run!”  He screamed, his chest compressing from the weight pressing down on him, as he waited for the death blow.

Instead the creature atop him staggered to the side, shaking its head and beginning to breathe deeply.  Dizzy from adrenalin and confusion Gold sucked in his own deep breath, watching as the monster gave one last irritated growl before it collapsed.  He almost followed suit, and he might have, if Belle hadn’t rushed to his side, hauling him to his feet.

“Are you okay?”  She asked, frantically checking him for injuries.

“Y–yeah, I think so.”  Gold murmured shakily.

“Good.”  Was all she said, before she grabbed him, desperately pressing her lips against his in a surprise kiss.

After only a moment’s hesitation, due in most part to shock, Gold was kissing her back; his arms coming up to hold her close as hers wound through his hair.  There was no finesse to their kiss; it was frantic, fuelled by want and the fact that they had almost died.  And as quickly as it had begun it was over, Belle pulling away, her skin flushed an enchanting pink.

“Come on, that sleeping dart won’t last for very long.”  Belle said, clearing her throat awkwardly, and stepping away from him.  He nodded, dazed for more than one reason, but keeping an eye on the slumbering beast as they quickly walked away.  “Thank you, by the way.”  Belle said, once they were a good distance away from the oversized lizard.  “You saved me.”

He realized they wouldn’t be discussing the kiss they had shared; it was probably due to nothing more than seeing him almost die.  That idea didn’t sit well with Gold, but he refused to examine that thought too closely, instead choosing to follow Belle’s lead and act as if nothing had happened at all.

“I think we saved each other.”  He replied, delivering a playful, yet sincere, rejoinder.

“I guess you’re right.”  Belle agreed; they shared an almost bashful smile as they wearily continued on their journey.

“So, I suppose that’s a Deathclaw.”  Gold remarked after a moment of silence.

Belle let out a huff of laughter any remaining tension dissipating as she bumped into him affectionately.  “What tipped you off?”

Gold tapped his chin contemplatively.  “The horns.”

They continued to giggle, high off their near-death experience and the left over adrenaline, until they made it to Goodneighbor at dusk.  It was as dilapidated as Diamond City had been, but it was smaller, meaning there would be fewer places to search.  After surviving wrestling with a Deathclaw, Gold was feeling more hopeful about finding his son, if he could make it through something as harrowing as that, he was sure to find his boy.

“Our best chance of finding out what we need to know would be finding a bar and asking around.”  Belle suggested, Gold agreed, and they were soon pointed in the direction of The Third Rail.

Sitting down at an old worn table, Gold brushed away a few leftover crumbs with disdain.  He had only frequented the very best of establishments when the world had been sane, and had only imbibed in the finest liquor.  This place was neither reputable nor carrying anything his refined palate would appreciate.  He sighed deeply; that world was gone.

Belle looked up at him in worry, and he smiled reassuringly.  “Just… just missing Bae.”  He half-lied.

“We’ll find him, I’m sure of it.”  Belle smiled, reaching out to grasp his hand.  “I’ll go get us something to drink and ask around, you rest.  After all, you _did_ just single handily fight off a Deathclaw.”  She teased.

His smile broadened.  “I thought we agreed it was a combined effort?”

“Be that as it may, you need a rest.  Sit here, enjoy the music, I’ll be right back.”  Belle replied, brushing her hand along his shoulder as she walked to the bar.

Relaxing into the worn chair, Gold did as Belle said, closing his eyes and listening.  The song was pleasant enough, the singer clearly talented so he allowed himself to be swept up in the music.  He kept his eyes closed after the singer was done, and only reopened them when Belle sat down across from him again.

“The Cassidy’s were here.”  She began.  “But…”

“But?”  He prompted, his earlier hope beginning to dim.

“They didn’t stay here long; this was just a short stop before they moved to where they were really going.”  Belle said, biting her lower lip.

“Oh, I see.”  Gold whispered, tears beginning to blur his vision, quickly he blinked them away.  “Did anyone know where that was?”  He asked, clearing his throat and trying to get a hold of himself.

“A place called Storybrooke.  It’s actually a town Avonlea trades with, so I know how to get us there.”  Belle added, trying to cheer him up.  “He’s out there somewhere, Corwin; I know we’ll find him.”

“No.”  Gold breathed.  “I don’t think we will.”

“What?  I don’t understand.”  Belle said; her lips pursed in confusion.

“There’s something I haven’t told you about me, Belle.”  He replied softly.

An hour later, after they’d rented a room at the Hotel Rexford, the last room available, so they had to share, nothing new for them; Belle was still a little shocked.  She sat on the bed, staring at him, as he took care of their supplies, as if they’d never met.  Her mouth was slightly open, her eyes wide.

“Two hundred years.”  She whispered, continuing to gape at him as he sat beside her.

“Give or take ten years.”  He replied.

“You don’t look a day over forty.”  Belle said, finally breaking her pattern of repeating how long he’d been frozen for.

He laughed aloud at that, the whole thing depressingly hilarious.  “I was forty-four when I was frozen.”

She nodded, taking in the new scrap of information.  Flopping down onto the bed she stared at the ceiling.  “Today has been a long day.”

Gold followed suit, lying down beside her.  “It really has.”  He agreed.

Rolling on her side to look at him, she laced her fingers with his, causing him to turn his head to look at her.  “Baelfire _is_ out there.  And we’re going to find him.”

“How do you know?  It could have been two hundred years.”  Gold murmured, voicing his doubts.

“Or it could have only been one.”  She argued.  “The point is we don’t know.”

“You’re right, and I’m never going to stop searching, it’s just…”  He trailed off, swallowing thickly.

“Just…?”  Belle repeated gently.

“I’m afraid.”  Gold sobbed, tears leaking from his eyes as he resolutely stared at the ceiling.

“Oh, my darling.”  She cooed, scooting closer on the bed, wrapping her arms around him to hold him close.

They ended up falling asleep like that, only taking a moment to change positions so they could lay lengthwise on the bed.  In the morning Gold awoke to the feel of Belle curled against him, her soft puffs of breath moving the tips of his hair.  After last night’s cry he felt lighter, freer, opening up to Belle had made him feel more grounded and less alone.  He planned on letting her sleep a little longer, but in the end she awoke not to long after him.

After she’d woken up a bit, they grabbed a bite to eat, after which Gold bought some more ammo for his gun as well as a shotgun, just in case.  Travelling back to Diamond City to retrieve their Brahmin was nerve-racking, but luckily the walk back was without incident.  They didn’t dither once they made it back to the grimy metropolis, collecting their cart and cattle and setting out for Storybrooke.

“How long do you estimate it will take us to get to Storybrooke?”  Gold questioned as they plodded along.

“It’s not too far away from Avonlea, so it should take us a little over three days.”  Belle said.  “So,”  She began.  “Will you tell me what the time before the war was like?”  She asked.  “You don’t have to!”  She added quickly.  “If it’s too painful–”

“It’s fine, Belle.”  Gold replied.  “What would you like to know?”

Belle smiled broadly and then began to list off an assortment of questions she had, one query compounding into several.  Gold tried his best to keep up and answer everything, smiling fondly.  It was wonderful to be able to talk openly about his former life, and Belle made even the most mundane fact seem like an amazing anthropological discovery.  Although, in a way, he supposed it was; but that line of thinking made him feel old, so he chose to push the thought away and simply enjoy Belle’s company and enthusiasm.

The day slipped by quickly, and soon it was time to bed down for the night and give the Brahmin a rest.  A roll of ominous thunder nixed their plans for sleeping under the stars again, forcing them to look for a makeshift shelter so they could stay dry.  Accommodations came, surprisingly, in the form of an old farmhouse.  It was clear that it had recently been someone’s home, since it was so well maintained, but it was also clear that whoever had lived there no longer did.

“Raider attack.”  Belle declared sadly, pointing to several bullets lodged in the wood of the front porch.

“It looks like whoever was here survived, but packed up and left after.”  Gold offered.

“Maybe,”  She capitulated.  “I think it’d be best if we stayed in the barn tonight with the Brahmin, just in case.”  Belle said, walking away from the house.  Gold looked at the farmhouse longingly, before following after her, knowing that it was better to be safer than sorry.

The barn wasn’t so bad.  It was warm, dry, and still had some hay for the Brahmins to sleep in, and the hayloft had a mattress big enough for Belle and him to share.  It was defiantly a lot better the sleeping in the rain; the tapping of rain hitting the barn’s roof soon increasing in noise and volume.

A small window allowed Gold to look out, watching the rain fall and the lighting strike in the distance as Belle checked on their Brahmin one last time.  He hardly heard her re-join him, her steps swift and stealthy, as she came to stand beside him to watch the storm.

“This is actually quite cozy.”  Gold murmured, breaking the silence.

She turned to look at him, her eyes soft, and a smile curling her lips beautifully.  “It really is.”

They stared at each other for a long moment in the dark, Gold’s eyes flicking to Belle’s lips, her gaze dipping to stare at his own lips as he licked them nervously.   She leaned up as he leaned down, their eyes slipping closed at the same time.  The kiss was soft and gentle, nothing like the first kiss they’d shared which had been fuelled by fear.  Pulling away with sipping kisses, they shared a shy smile, their noses bumping affectionately.

“Oh, Belle.”  Gold sighed, kissing along her cheek, sucking at the tender flesh of at the curve of her jaw.

“I–I think I’m falling in love with you.”  She moaned, winding her hands through his hair.

Both of them froze at her words, he pulled away to look deep into her eyes, searching her gaze.  “Me too.”  He replied.  “I–I mean I love you too!”  He amended.

Belle’s smile was dazzling as she kissed him again, the two of them smiling too hard to properly kiss for long.  Instead they shared quick pecks that soon evolved into longer and longer kisses while their hands began to wander, innocently at first, and then not so innocently.  Gold hummed, trailing his lips along her throat to nip at the soft skin of her delicate neck, groaning as Belle pressed closer to him.

Together they divested him of his jacket, before Belle pulled away from their kiss with a shy smile.  Grabbing the hem of her red tunic she pulled it up and over her head, leaving her bare to his gaze except for a plain cotton bra.  His mouth went dry as he took in the tantalizing expanse of skin.  She bit her lower lip, looking up at him from beneath her lashes.

“Will you make love to me?”  Belle asked coyly, fighting off any shyness she might still be feeling.

“Are,” Gold cleared his throat, a blush heating his cheeks.  “Are you sure?”

“I’m sure.”  She replied, pressing against him.  “Please touch me, Corwin.”  Belle whispered beside his ear, causing a shiver to run down his spine.

Nothing in the world could have kept him from doing as she asked.  She sighed against his lips as he kissed her; his hands skimming along her sides, making her arch her back as his hands moved up to cup her breasts.  He messaged the delicate flesh before lightly pinching her hardening nipples causing her to whine shamelessly.  In payback she slipped her hand into the open neckline of his shirt to experimentally circle his areola; he growled deep in his throat nipping at her lower lips as she did so.

She continued to tease him as best she could, before getting annoyed by the fabric separating her from touching and seeing all of him.  While he was distracted by her décolleté she unbuttoned his shirt.  Gold was too far gone to be self-conscious of his appearance, instead helping her push his shirt off his shoulders and trying to keep his breathing steady as he watched her take in him in before she placed a chaste kiss against his flushed skin.  He knew he wasn’t much to look at, scrawny at best, skeletally thin at worse, with a little bit of a roll beginning to form around his stomach.  But Belle was looking at him as if her were a delicacy to be savoured.

“You’re beautiful, Corwin.”  She murmured.

He chuckled at that, cupping her cheek so that he could look into her startling blue eyes.  “I’d say it’s the other way around, darling, _you’re_ beautiful.”

Belle blushed prettily at that, leaning up to kiss him.  “Handsome, then.”  She replied.

There was no more talking after that, the two of them too distracted as they continued to kiss and strip each other of their remaining clothes.  Once Belle was fully bare before him he stopped to soak in her beauty.  She was enjoying staring at him just as much, but she also wanted to touch him; experimentally she brushing the tips of her fingers along his hardened shaft.  Groaning he pulled her close, savouring the feeling of being skin to skin with her as he kissed her deeply, running his tongue along her lips, teasing her mouth open.

Letting out a needy sound, Belle rubbed against him, his cock trapped and straining between them, an answering ache thrumming low and insistent between her legs.  They moved to the mattress, Gold carefully laying Belle down, her hand tangled in his hair as he began kissing his way down her body.  He used his tongue to swirl nonsensical patterns along her skin before he blew softly to cool the damp flesh, causing Belle to shiver pleasantly, the throbbing at her core becoming more persistent.

Gold dipped lower, kissing her thighs before hovering over her most private of places.  “What are you – _oh_.”  Belle moaned loudly, her hips jerking against his mouth.

Pulling away Gold looked at her, concern shining in his eyes.  “Is this okay?”  He asked.

“Don’t stop.”  She whimpered.

Concern dissolving to be replaced with confidence Gold smirked, bending back down to press a gentle kiss against her throbbing clit.  Belle let out another cry of pleasure as his tongue flicked along her sensitive flesh; driving her senseless as he sucked and nipped.  He continued to tease her, his tongue circling her sensitive nub as her hips trembled against his mouth.  One of his hands moved to hold her hips down as the other moved so that he could carefully probe at her entrance with a single finger.  He pushed her higher and higher until she was whimpering and sobbing in pleasure.  Gold didn’t stop, determined to bring her to the peak of bliss.  His determination was reward a moment later as Belle tensed, letting out a sharp gasp.

Panting heavily, Belle weakly pulled at Gold until he was lying beside her.  He groaned as she kissed him lightly, rubbing her nose against his affectionately.  Using his clean hand he brushed her brunette curls away from her face, he smiling jubilantly as she grinned back at him dreamily, her cheeks flushed prettily.  She kissed him again as he rolled atop her, careful to keep the majority of his weight off of her.

Belle trustingly looked up at him as he spread her legs, her hand coming up to cradle his face; he turned to kiss the palm of her hand.  Taking his cock in hand he brushed the head through her wet folds, her eyes fluttering closed at the sensation.

“Is this what you want?”  He whispered, bending down to kiss her shoulder.

“Yes.”  Belle sighed.  Carefully he began to press into her, groaning at the sensation of her tight heat enveloping his straining length.  Using measured thrusts he slowly entered her, closely watching her, and taking his cues from her reactions.  “This feels amazing.”  She hummed, experimentally rolling her hips once he was fully sheathed within her.

“Sweetheart… oh gods.”  Gold whined, burying his face against her neck, breathing heavily, hoping to prolong the experience by staying still.

Trembling, he began to move again; encouraged by Belle’s soughs of pleasure.  His pace increased as did their shared volume.  After an embarrassingly short amount of time Gold could feel his climax threatening; recapturing Belle’s lips, his hand slipping between them to insistently rub at her clit, his thrusts becoming more adamant.  Just as he sensed his control slipping, he felt Belle’s inner walls begin to flutter around his cock.  He let go just as Belle reached her peak.

Letting out a tortured sound, waves of bliss washed over him, spots of light flashing before his eyes.  With the last of his wherewithal he slumped to the side, so as not to crush his bed mate, feeling as if he had been completely liquidated.

“Wow, that’s… wow.”  Belle murmured.

“Yeah.”  He replied breathlessly.

She rolled to curl against him letting out a sated sigh; he pulled her even closer, his thumb stroking her soft skin gently.  They fell asleep quickly, neither of them having any energy left to stay awake.

Gold awoke to the sensation of being kissed; he hummed happily returning the pressure.  “Good morning, sleepyhead.”  Belle purred, tracing nonsensical patterns on his chest.

“And what a good morning it is.”  He growled, grabbing her and flipping them over, Belle letting out a shriek of laughter.

An hour or so later they were ready to get back on the road, the day fresh and bright after the storm of the night before.  The next two days followed much the same pattern of the first day of their journey; spending the day steering the cart along the proper path and trying to avoid having to get into a fight, their nights now spent with the two of them pressed together kissing and moaning as they joined together over and over again.  It was only when they drew closer to Storybrooke that Gold’s anxiety reared its ugly head once more.

“It’ll be okay.”  Belle said, distracting him with a consuming kiss.

He allowed her to work her magic, and tried to stay calm, until they passed the cheerful ‘Welcome to Storybrooke’ sign.  Their plan was to do what they had done before, find a safe place to rest their Brahmin and then head to the local pub to ask around.  By sheer chance this was not their fate.

Jumping off the cart to stretch his limbs, Gold helped Belle down the two of them sharing a wan and encouraging smile respectively.  Walking further into town while leading the four heads of their Brahmin, they were stopped when a leather ball came bouncing into the road hitting the Belle in the leg.  She handed him the reins and bent to retrieve the ball.

“Sorry!”  A young boy, with a striking resemblance to his son, yelled bounding towards them.

For a moment Gold’s heart stopped as he stared at the boy, his shaggy mop of hair and warm brown eyes and exact replica of his son’s.  But it only took a single blink for him to realize that he wasn’t looking at his boy.

“That’s alright.”  Belle said, handing him the ball.  “I don’t suppose you could help us?  We’re looking for a place to rest our Brahmin and then perhaps getting a drink?”

The boy looked at them oddly for a moment before shrugging to himself.  “There’s a stable on the other side of town.”  He informed them, point in the direction they needed to head.  “And back that way is Granny’s diner–”

“Henry!”  A man called, jogging over to them.  “Sorry about that, hope he wasn’t bothering you.”  The young man, most likely Henry’s father, said turning form his son to flash them a charming smile, before it dropped suddenly.  “Papa?”  The man gasped, reaching out to grab Gold’s shoulder.

“B–Baelfire?”  Gold whispered, searching the man’s face and his son looking back at him, older, but definitely his son.  They grabbed each other at the same time, hugging and crying.  Off to the side Belle was smiling broadly, happy tears shining in her eyes.

Once the hugging and crying was, mostly, over, Baelfire, who was going by his middle name and using his paternal grandmother’s last name, Cassidy, introduced Gold to his ten year old son and then brought them back to his home to introduce them to his wife, Emma.  Gold and his son talked for hours as Emma and Henry asked Belle, well meaning, but probing questions.  Excited to learn everything about the last eighteen years of his son’s life, Gold hardly noticed as Belle slipped away.  But he did notice, and after excising himself, he followed after her.

He found her leaning against a tree, staring contemplatively into the distance.

“Hey.”  He murmured, brushing his fingers down her arm.

“Hey.”  She replied turning to smile at him, before turning back to stare at nothing.

Gold laced his fingers with her, silently standing beside her for a moment looking out at the scenery.

“Is something wrong?”  Gold finally asked

She shook her head, smiling at him before looking down.  “No, I’m so happy for you!”  Belle said, looking up at him, sincerity shining in her eyes.

“But…?”  He prompted, noting the hint of sadness also hiding in her eyes.

“You don’t need me anymore.”  Belle said, her voice catching, shocking him.

“What?  No, Belle, no.”  Gold responded, cupping her jaw with his hands, brushing away her tears.  “Belle I’ll always need you.  I love you.”

Smiling through her tears Belle looked at him searchingly.  “I love you too.”  She moved closer, hugging him tightly.  “I want to stay with you, Corwin.”  Belle admitted softly.

“I want you to stay with me too.”  He whispered back.


End file.
